It’s time to shift gears to vineyard weed control

By the Chemtura AgroSolutions team of experts

When it comes to vineyard management, it pays to stay a step ahead — meaning now is a good time to start thinking about winter weed control programs.

One good place to start is by pinpointing the weeds that escaped your control programs this summer. To help identify and treat weed species that have invaded your vineyard, visit the University of California Extension’s Weed Research and Information Center. This resource includes a database of weed susceptibility to herbicides, links to pages with information about specific weeds and control options, as well as a weed identification tool that allows you to enter the physical characteristics of the weed to confirm identification.

Next, plan your fall control program to address these challenges, especially if you are dealing with glyphosate-resistant weeds.

As you may have unfortunately experienced, glyphosate-resistant horseweed (marestail), fleabane and ryegrass have taken root in many California vineyards, which endangers the long-term efficacy of glyphosate as a weed control tool. Controlling these weeds through herbicide rotation is the only way to prevent them from producing seeds with the resistant trait that will grow next season.

Glyphosate-resistant weeds are easiest to control when they are small (less than 3 to 4 inches) and actively growing—typically from January through March—so plan accordingly.

Firestorm® herbicide from Chemtura AgroSolutions™ can be a great partner in your weed control program. With 3 lbs. of active ingredient per gallon, Firestorm is a contact herbicide for control or suppression of a broad spectrum of emerged weeds and grasses. It is an ideal burndown partner when applied in preplant or preemergence burndown situations to sustain glyphosate performance and helps prevent glyphosate-resistant weeds from surviving and producing seeds that will emerge the following season.

Keep Pests in Mind, Too

Meanwhile, don’t forget to watch for mealybugs at the end of the season since honeydew from the vine mealybug species serves as a substrate for black sooty mold. Furthermore, these pests can transmit harmful grape vine viruses.

Also, keep tools like Acramite® 50WS miticide in mind as you plan for next season. This selective miticide features quick knockdown capabilities and long residual control, earning it a key spot in pest management arsenals. Acramite features a re-entry interval of only 12 hours, making it part of an excellent pest management program. Plus, its unique carbazate chemistry also makes Acramite a key rotational tool for resistance management.

Discuss late-season pest and weed management with your PCA or Chemtura AgroSolutions representative for additional ways to enhance your control program so you can maximize control and enter the 2014 growing season ready for success: